WASHINGTON — House Republicans on Wednesday asked the Treasury Department to turn over documents related to the business ventures of members of President Joe Biden’s family, including «suspicious activity reports» related to Biden’s son Hunter. Biden, and his brother James Biden.
In a letter To Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, House Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, wrote that his panel is investigating «President Biden’s involvement in his family’s foreign business practices and schemes international influence peddling» and will consider drafting legislation to restrict the activities. of the families of elected officials.
Yellen denied a similar request for documents last year, but Comer’s party has since won a majority in the House.
«I now make these requests pursuant to my authority as president,» he wrote.
The shoes are on different feet for both parties after House Democrats fought for four years, all the way to the Supreme Court, to get information from the administration of former President Donald Trump.
Ian Sams, a White House investigations spokesman, derided the letter as a partisan game.
«In their first week as a ruling majority, House Republicans have not taken any significant steps to address inflation and cut costs for Americans, but they are jumping out the door with political stunts pushed by the most extreme members of MAGA in their caucus in an effort to get attention on Fox News,» Sams said. «The President will continue to focus on the important issues that the American people want their leaders to work together on, and we hope House Republicans will join him.»
Neither Hunter Biden nor James Biden have been charged with any crimes related to their business practices, but both have long come under scrutiny for what critics describe as a pattern of trading under the name of Joe Biden in ways that could compromise you. And Hunter Biden is under investigation by federal prosecutors in Delaware.
Trump and congressional Republicans have called on the Justice Department to prosecute Hunter Biden for a variety of alleged misdeeds. In 2019, the House impeached Trump after he temporarily blocked aid to Ukraine as a way to pressure Kyiv to open an investigation into Joe Biden, his main rival in the 2020 presidential election, and Hunter Biden.
In Wednesday’s letter, Comey asked Treasury for records of suspicious activity reports involving members of the Biden family and their business associates. Federal law requires financial institutions to file private reports (SARs) when they detect unusual transactions that could be signs of illegal activity. FinCen, the Treasury agency tasked with tracking SARs, received more than 3 million of them in 2022 alone, based on a search in their database.
Comey also requested records of any interactions between executive branch agencies and the White House regarding the Bidens and their business associates, between executive branch agencies and financial institutions involving the same individuals, and any changes in government policy. SAR since Biden took office.
In addition to Hunter Biden and James Biden, the letter names Sara Biden, wife of James Biden and sister-in-law of President Biden, and business associates of the Biden family. Rob WalkerEric Schwerin and Devon Archer.